Syria Crisis: Hague And Kerry Join Doha Talks

June 22, 2013 By Lisa Holland, Foreign Affairs Correspondent

Britain's Foreign Secretary William Hague will join the US Secretary of State John Kerry in Qatar later to discuss the crisis in Syria. They will be joined at the so-called "Friends of Syria" meeting in Doha by foreign ministers from other countries in the group, including Germany, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Diplomatic sources told Sky News the Doha conference would try to continue the momentum of the recent G8 summit towards organising a conference which would be known as Geneva 2. But the reality is that any such Geneva 2 conference follows on from a communique made at the first Genvea conference almost exactly a year ago, which now looks pretty hollow.

Then leaders - including Russia - agreed a transition plan for Syria, but they have failed to move it forward since. It is hard to see how something along similar lines could deliver anything more. The sticking point is the Russian reluctance to get involved in the internal affairs of Syria. It refuses to call for President Bashar al Assad to step down. The Friends of Syria meeting does not include the Russians. But it may involve a Free Syrian Army general who will tell the diplomats that while they are making little progress diplomatically, on the ground opposition forces are losing ground to Mr Assad's troops.